Vasily Alexanyan's Last Year

Former YUKOS Vice-President Vasily Alexanyan was released from SIZO (Pre-Trial Detention Centre) hoping he would die within the next year.  The transcript of his last interview with The New Times was released just recently, right after Alexanyan's death.  According to the media, Alexanyan did not want his harsh judgments to negatively affect his former colleagues who were still in prison at the time.

When asked why he, being gravely ill, was not transferred to a civil hospital, Alexanyan answered, "when I was in prison, some people came to me and told me that Setchin gave an order: that I mustn't be released alive.  I was told a lot of this spooky stuff."

He also said the authorities did not leave him alone even after his release:  "they give me hell every day.  It's impossible to survive this.  They terrorise those who work with me and those who try to help me.  I don't want any of these people harmed.  My chauffeur was under arrest twice – he was charges with hit-and-run incidents.  Well, the car was in the garage all that day long...  They can’t even manage to match their versions of the story:  different traffic patrol police officers  provide different descriptions of the traffic  accident.  My chauffer called me in hysterics,  I called up my lawyers... The authorities just won’t let me be.  My parents are almost at their limit. They are afraid I'd be imprisoned again and never ever be released."

He also mentioned that even after the charges against him had been dropped, his property was seized.  "The judge did it on purpose, and she obviously had no intention to explain why. She literally said, "who knows, what if other charges are brought against him?"  In her opinion, that was a crime.  My cars and my house have been seized. They are not in my possession any more.  I may live in the house though.   All my assets have been taken as material evidence. Basically, that includes money and my wrist watch - which have nothing in common with the misappropriated shares. These things are not mentioned in the files of my criminal case, though any material evidence must be recorded, kept safe and then returned, should such case be dismissed.   Basically, they stole everything and haven't responded to any of my applications for the return of my things.   When there were confiscating my wrist watch, I laughed and asked them whether I was accused of robbing a watch shop.  Somebody may just have my watch on his wrist now. I wish this hand to fall off... Forgive me God..."

He also told that he planned to go to UK for medical treatment, but the British didn't grant him an entry visa.

Here is the state of prison medical services in Russia according Alexanyan: "that place is hell; ordinary people go to "work" and do "evil” every day. They feel nothing.  All these medical people should be deprived of their position to do evil.    All they think about is avoiding responsibility."
Vasily Alexanyan, 39, died on October 3, 2011, at the summer house of his parents near Moscow.  He had AIDS and was nearly blind.  He also suffered from liver cancer, lymphoma and tuberculosis.  Alexanyan was released from custody in 2008 on bail of 50 million rubles.  The case against him was dropped in 2010 as the statute of limitations had run out.  Aleksanyan was charged with money-laundering, embezzlement and tax evasion (Article 160, RF Criminal Code) in April, 2006.  The prosecution tried to make a case of embezzling property and shares from oil companies Tomskneft and VNK.